Man arrested on suspicion of terror offenses in London mosque attack

Monday

Jun 19, 2017 at 11:30 AM

London police say a 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism including murder as well as attempted murder after a car plowed into a crowd of pedestrians near a north London mosque.

The Associated Press

LONDON — London police say a 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism including murder as well as attempted murder after a car plowed into a crowd of pedestrians near a north London mosque.

The man, who is in custody at a south London police station, was arrested earlier on suspicion of attempted murder.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement that the man was detained by members of the public at the scene of the attack early Monday.

Authorities say a residential area in Cardiff, Wales, is also being searched.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu says: "This is being treated as a terrorist incident and is being investigated by the Counter Terrorism Command."

Community leaders are praising a local imam for restraining a mob that had surrounded the man after the incident.

Imam Mohammed Mahmoud told reporters Monday that he and "other brothers" were able to prevent onlookers from beating up the suspect and held him until police arrived. The suspect had been surrounded by an angry crowd that is believed to have pulled him from the van used in the attack.

Mahmoud says "By God's grace, we were able to protect him from harm."

The ambulance service says nine people injured in the attack were taken to local hospitals. One man died at the scene, but it was not immediately clear whether he was killed by the attacker's actions or some other cause.